Rep. Margo Juarez

Maddy summaryThis legislative resolution congratulates Nancy Kratky on her retirement after twenty-five years of service to the Omaha Public Schools Board and over thirty-three years as a teacher. The measure formally recognizes her extensive contributions to education, including her work on various committees and her role in introducing Positive Action Center rooms used in Omaha Public Schools today. The resolution directs the Legislature to send a copy of this acknowledgment to Kratky as a gesture of appreciation for her career.

Maddy summaryNebraska's LB 907 prohibits law enforcement officers from entering nonpublic areas of designated community safe spaces (like hospitals, schools, libraries, shelters, and religious facilities) to enforce immigration law without a judicial warrant. The bill requires officers to obtain a search warrant issued by a judge or an arrest warrant if they know the person subject to the warrant is present. Evidence collected in violation of this law would be inadmissible in Nebraska courts. The measure takes immediate effect as an emergency.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Nebraska law enforcement officers on duty to wear clear identification displaying their name, badge number, and agency name, and prohibits them from wearing facial coverings or disguises that obscure their identity. It directly affects all state, local, tribal, and federal officers working in Nebraska during routine operations. Exceptions include covert operations, health protection (like masks for airborne diseases), and safety gear for smoke or toxins. The law aims to improve public trust and officer accountability by ensuring visible identification during interactions.

Maddy summaryThis proposed constitutional amendment (LR 298CA) would require that 44.5% of Nebraska lottery proceeds, after covering prizes and operating costs, be allocated to the Nebraska Environmental Trust Fund. The fund must use these funds exclusively for conservation projects like protecting natural habitats, wildlife, water resources, and scenic areas through competitive grants. It applies to all lottery revenue generated under Nebraska's existing lottery system and requires voter approval in November 2026 to take effect. The amendment does not create new taxes but mandates specific spending from current lottery revenue.

Maddy summaryLB 1028 requires large livestock operations (defined by federal standards as of January 1, 2026) to register and annually update nutrient management plans with Nebraska's department, making these plans publicly accessible online. The bill mandates planting cover crops after applying livestock waste or litter (unless perennial cover exists), with costs covered by the operation, and encourages regenerative practices like reduced tillage. It also requires a 30-foot perennial grass buffer along waterways where waste is applied, with the operation paying for buffer establishment/maintenance and annually compensating landowners for lost crop production on those buffered acres. This directly affects large livestock facilities handling waste applications.

Maddy summaryLB 974 would impose a supplemental 9.5% excise tax on individual income above $1 million for single filers or $2 million for married couples filing jointly, calculated after subtracting existing income tax rates. It creates the "Tax Equity Cash Fund" to collect this new tax revenue, which the Department of Revenue would manage. Funds in the account may only be used for administrative costs related to the tax or transferred to three specific state funds (General Fund, Education Future Fund, or Property Tax Credit Cash Fund), not for new programs. This bill directly affects high-income Nebraskans earning above the thresholds, with no specified new spending beyond fund transfers.

Maddy summaryNebraska's LB 1166 changes how school employees' retirement contributions are calculated under the School Employees Retirement Act. Instead of a fixed 9.78% contribution rate, it establishes variable rates based on the retirement fund's "funded ratio" (how well-funded the system is): 9.75% if under 96% funded, 8.75% at 96-98%, 8% at 98-100%, and 7.25% if 100% or more funded. These rates apply starting July 1, 2025, with adjustments calculated annually using the previous year's actuarial report. The bill directly affects all public school employees in Nebraska through their payroll deductions for retirement benefits.

Maddy summaryLB 1207 requires Nebraska school districts to provide full-time school employees with five paid mental health leave days each school fiscal year, at their regular salary. Employees cannot be asked for medical documentation to use this leave, and the days do not reduce other accrued leave (like vacation or sick time). The bill takes immediate effect upon approval due to an emergency declaration, directly impacting school employees across the state.

Maddy summaryLB 1206 would exempt the income of certificated teachers, paraeducators, and paraprofessionals from Nebraska's state income tax. The bill amends Nebraska's tax code to exclude this specific group's earnings from taxable income calculations. This change directly affects educators working in Nebraska public schools who hold these roles. The policy creates a targeted tax exemption without altering other tax provisions or requiring new administrative processes.

Maddy summaryLB 1208 requires Nebraska public school districts to allocate at least 50% of their general fund budget toward teacher salaries and benefits for the 2026-27 school year and all subsequent years. This directly affects all local school districts by mandating a specific spending threshold for educator compensation. The key provision, found in Section 2 of the bill, sets this 50% minimum for teacher-related expenditures within the total general fund budget. The bill amends the Tax Equity and Educational Opportunities Support Act to establish this requirement and repeals the original section of the law.